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mities into his Character, which were never found in his Perfon; It ftill remains Evident, and cannot be Denied by any Equal and Impartial Judge of the Hiftory, that he Abounded in True Virtue and Religion, and that there was Nothing in his Qualities or Adminiftration, which bore any Proportion to his Sufferings, or can be affigned for a Just Reafon of Accounting for them.

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But when we Change the Profpect and an Amazing Change of Profpect it is, from the Beauteous Innocence of the Prince, to the Ghaftly state of Iniquities in the People; the Reafon of His Fate does Immediately rife in our view. Even Their Deliberate Purposes to Deftroy the Lord's Anointed, and their Perfifting Refolutely and Immoveably in thofe Purposes, and in the Concerted Measures of carrying them on to Accomplishment and Execution, were Themselves fuch Horrible Enormities, as might Juftly Provoke God to permit the Execution and Accomplishment of them, that so Rebellious a People might fall into the Pit which they had made, and Perish in their

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their own Folly. And to this it might be added, if there were Room, or Neceffity for adding it, and confirming it by. an Enumeration of Particulars, That there are not Many of the Fundamental, Esfential Principles of the Chriftian Religion, whether relating to Faith or Practice, but what were, in That Unhappy Time, Rejected, or Perverted and Violated, by Men of One Denomination, or Other. But it may perhaps be no Inconfiderable branch of Compaffion towards Them, to Avoid descending into a moré Particular Account of Them. And if any one should be defirous of faying the Highest things that can be faid, of the True Greatness and Firmness of Mind, and Spirit of Goodness, which fhone forth Illuftriously in our Suffering King: Let it be faid, That They were Equal to the Debasement, and Impiety, and Iniquity of the People, which Devised, and Executed thofe Sufferings upon Him.

But the obligations of Duty to God, and to my Country will not fuffer me to Close this Difcourfe, without this Further obfervation from it; That the moft

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Ufeful, and Effectual Evidence, which Faithful Subjects can give, of their Fidelity and Loyalty to the King, and of their Sincere and Ardent Love of their Country, confifts in their Sincere and Sedulous Endeavours, as their Various Capacities require or allow them, to Defend and Promote the Honour of God, the Supreme Governour and Judge of Humane Society. For This Confequence feems Neceffarily to arife from what hath been faid, That the Stability and Glories of the Throne are never to be Intirely Depended on, Unless Virtue and Religion, in Those who ftand Below, be the Supporters of it. And it appears, to a Demonstration, in the Hiftory of the Jews, and from the Express Declarations of God's Holy Spirit, that the Profperity of a Na-. tion does Ufually Rife or Fall, in Proportion to the Provifions which it makes for the Security and Propagation of Religion.

That an Univerfal and Inviolable Concern for God's Honour Demonftrated by Effectual Provisions for the Prefervation and Advancement of our Holy Religion,

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may Ever remain Here, as the Firm and Immoveable Foundation of the Profperity and Happiness of the Kingdom, God of his Infinite mercy grant, by the Influence of his Holy Spirit upon us, and our Pofterity, through Jefus Chrift, our Bleffed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, three Perfons and One God, be all Honour and Glory, Power and Dominion henceforth and for evermore.

Amen.

SERMON

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SERMON X.

A Discourse of Murther.

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EXOD. XX. 13.

Thou shalt not kill.

HOSE Natural Impreffions and Obligations of Moral Duty, which immediately relate to the Prefervation of Humane Life, are, in fo Peculiar a manner, Strong guards upon it, that furely it must be a very Powerful Temptation, which is able to break through Them. Other Sins do more eafily Prevail over us, because they are Agreable and Pleafing to our Corrupt Inclinations and Difpofitions; But, Corrupted as our Nature is, there is fomething ftill fo fhocking to us in the Sin of Murther, that a Man must undergo as much Struggle and Self

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